Travis Olander 01.01.24
Bug-out luggage. “SHTF” packs. Assault packs. Go luggage. No matter you name ’em, these small-ish not-quite-a-ruck sacks are arguably the most well-liked of all the tactical luggage. They’re nice for searching and capturing and packing for weekend journeys and quick journey. Loads of people wish to pack and retailer a 72-hour bag simply in case the zombies come. However, like all issues well-liked, the marketplace for 3-day luggage is flooded. Let’s minimize via the noise and have a look at a few of the finest choices within the class.
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What’s in a “Good” 72-Hour Pack?
Assault packs aren’t identical to any outdated climbing bag or commuter backpack. They serve a selected goal: present sufficient capability for 3 days’ price of journey, with package, in a “SHTF” state of affairs, packaged right into a rugged and compact profile. A cummerbund is a bonus, however not a necessity. We’re specializing in luggage with capacities of 30- to 50-ish liters, which limits the load you’ll be carrying. An assault pack ought to be capable to stow a sleeping bag on its exterior – ideally on the highest or backside, to maintain good facilities of gravity – leaving the inside storage reserved for all of your different stuff.
A 3-day bag must also be able to dealing with moist climate situations and bodily abuse. Meaning it received’t let your gear get soaked in a light-weight rain or snow, and it received’t fry or tear simply from tough dealing with. Ultralight climbing packs constructed from delicate materials aren’t properly fitted to this. Cordura and different water resistant ripstop materials work finest, right here. Are you able to spend $600 on a space-age bag made by retired SOF, supposed for abroad operations? Positive, however you’re most likely losing your cash. The very best 3-day bag shouldn’t price greater than $250. There are many high quality luggage that price half as a lot. Let’s have a look.
5.11 Tactical RUSH72 2.0 Backpack (Greatest General)
Specs
- Capability: 55 liters / 3,342 cubic inches
- Materials: 1050D Cordura
- Attachments: MOLLE / PALS Webbing
- Out there Colours: Black, Ranger Inexperienced, Darkish Grey, Tan
- Dimensions (Most important Compartment): 23″H x 13.5″W x 8.5″D
- Dimensions (Left/Proper Pocket): 16.5″H x 6″W x 1.75″D
- Dimensions (Entrance Pocket): 15.5″H x 11.5″W x 2″D
- Worth: $175 – $275
Most important Options
- Contoured yoke for neck consolation
- Broad, padded cummerbund
- Aluminum keep bar for rigidity
- Rear hydration compartment
- Additionally comes with CCL pocket
- “Shove-it” gusset pocket for helmet or gear
What’s to love?
Not surprisingly, 5.11 Tactical’s RUSH Bag is my private high choose for any 72-hour bag. It is a high quality do-it-all backpack that manages to make 55 liters of capability – concerning the restrict of what’s affordable for any go bag – look correctly small. How the RUSH 72 carries enhances the deception: it’s probably the most snug packs you should buy, with an superior again panel sporting a great deal of padding, and a few of the finest shoulder straps within the class. The cummerbund has wonderful padding, nevertheless it stays sufficiently small that when not in use, it tucks neatly behind the lumbar with out getting in the best way.
Storage inside is assumed out fairly properly, the principle compartment’s massive , vast, and pretty deep, with simply sufficient smaller zipper mesh pouches to arrange issues with out taking on pointless house. My favourite characteristic on the RUSH 72 is the big compartment atop the principle shell, which acts as a standalone bag cinched to the remainder of the pack through 4 adjustable straps. It’s in between this compartment and the pack that you may simply stuff a small sleeping bag, quickly stow a jacket, and even cram a helmet in there.
Coupled with its frankly extreme quantities of MOLLE webbing, the RUSH 72 can simply be transformed right into a full rucksack for week-long excursions. Inversely, you can also make the RUSH 72 even smaller – simply take away the additional compartment, and also you’ve obtained one of many bodily smallest packs within the lineup. This modularity, coupled with 5.11’s general construct high quality – 1050D Cordura, which is of course water resistant and extremely abrasion-resistant – makes the RUSH 72 a no brainer for the #1 choose. It’s within the identify.
What’s to not like?
Worth is the one downside the RUSH 72 suffers. It’s an ideal 72-hour bag, nevertheless it’ll put a dent in your pockets – particularly if you’d like Multicam for cool factors. That’ll set you again $250, whereas strong colours price $175 to $185. These costs put the RUSH on the restrict of what’s thought-about budget-friendly.
BLACKHAWK 3-Day Assault (Greatest “Incognito” Pack)
Specs
- Capability: 33 liters / 2,000 cubic inches
- Materials: 210D and 330D Nylon
- Attachments: Backside Storage Loops
- Out there Colours: Black, Coyote Tan
- Dimensions (Most important Compartment): 20″H x 13″W x 6″D
- Dimensions (Prime Pocket): 14.5″H x 12.5″W x 2.5″D
- Worth: $135
Most important Options
- Padded cummerbund
- Semi-rigid, padded bottom
- Rear hydration compartment
- (4) inside compression straps
- (5) tie-down loops for securing gear
- Holds as much as 100-oz. water bladder
What’s to love?
The BLACKHAWK 3-Day Bag is probably the most civilian-looking go luggage accessible. It’s naked bones, subdued nylon exterior is totally void of any webbing. With no tactical accoutrements to level out, the BLACKHAWK is nice for individuals who need a 72-hour bag that appears like proper in an workplace or strapped to your again for the morning city commute. However the BLACKHAWK is, certainly, a correct go bag. Its thick, padded bottom acts like a gentle body, and the big major compartment options loads of decidedly tactical tie-downs for stowing heavy package, with room for a 100-ounce water bladder. The underside of the bag additionally hosts two bolstered loop mounts, that are excellent for lashing on a rolled sleeping bag or auxiliary storage.
And it comes with an honest cummerbund. The padding on the waist straps isn’t as soft as these discovered on the RUSH, nevertheless it will get the job accomplished and takes extra weight off your shoulders for lengthy hikes and tough out of doors stints. The BLACKHAWK’s 210D and 330D nylon gives good abrasion resistance, although it’s not fairly as waterproof as different choices on the checklist. However, due to its comparatively monolithic shell, waterproofing the BLACKHAWK with spray-on waterproofing is a straightforward job.
What’s to not like?
The BLACKHAWK’s incognito visage means it lacks the capability for including further compartments and pouches. The nylon’s decrease denier ranking additionally means it received’t stand as much as long-term abuse in addition to an overtly tactical assault pack constructed from larger denier ripstop. This lighter weight material, coupled with the dearth of a yoke system and smaller cummerbund – and the 30-liter capability – means the BLACKHAWK is proscribed in relation to loading up with severe weight.
3V Gear Paratus 3-Day Operator’s Backpack (Greatest for Sleeping Storage)
- Capability: 40 liters / 2,420 cubic inches
- Materials: 600D PVC
- Attachments: MOLLE Webbing, (2) aspect pouches, (1) deployment pack
- Out there Colours: Black, Coyote Tan
- Dimensions (Most important Compartment): 20″H x 12″W x 5.5″D
- Dimensions (Prime Compartment): 13″H x 12″W x 3″D
- Dimensions (Facet Pouches): 5″H x 2.5″W x 8″D
- Worth: $90
Most important Options
- molded EVA bottom
- Detachable aspect pouches
- Detachable deployment pack
- Water hydration bladder pouch
- Modular design
- Fundamental cummerbund
What’s to love?
The modular Paratus 3-Day Operator’s Backpack leans wholly right into a militaristic design, offering what quantities to a small however correct rucksack that appears a good bit just like the MOLLE II rucksack of present challenge. That is good. The army does a fantastic job designing packs that accommodate what most civilian packs suck at accommodating: Tents and sleeping luggage.
The Paratus 3-Day mimics the previous, offering sufficient capability within the backside of the principle compartment for a sleeping bag when rolled and tucked, with sufficient room within the deployment pack for stowing a 1- or 2-person tent, full with rainfly and folded tent poles. The aspect pouches are nice for separating package by sort – preserve lights and comms in a single, and cooking gear within the different – however they’re simply eliminated due to their YKK Annex Clips.
The Paratus additionally does a fantastic job at doing one thing most luggage of this design attempt to keep away from: It’s compact even with its add-on pouches, and it may be made even smaller. Take away the pouches and deployment pack, and also you wind up with about 25 liters of capability. Coming in at just below $100, the Paratus 3-Day gives good storage and a purposeful modular design whereas remaining fairly budget-friendly.
What’s to not like?
The Paratus 3-Day’s shoulder straps may use extra padding, and the cummerbund is just insufficient with a heavy load. The waiststraps don’t have any padding to talk of, which is disappointing. This may be remedied by buying some hook-and-loop pads, however because the bag ships, you’ll endure these straps digging into your hips. High quality management can result in some wonky stitching, too. When you spring for the Paratus, it’ll pay to spend a second inspecting all of the webbing and load-bearing stitches to ensure nothing’s fraying or coming unfastened.
5.11 Tactical AMP24 (Greatest One-Compartment Bag)
Specs
- Capability: 32 liters / 1,950 cubic inches
- Materials: 500D Cordura
- Attachments: 9×9 HEXGRID
- Out there Colours: Black, Ranger Inexperienced, Darkish Grey, Tan
- Dimensions (Most important Compartment): 20″ H x 11″ L x 8″ D
- Worth: $160
Most important Options
- Single compartment “clamshell” design
- CCL pocket with loop panel for holster
- HEXGRID gives multi-angle attachment
- (4) aspect pockets + (1) backside stash pocket
- Laminated with TAC-LAM for water resistance
- Holds as much as a 15″ laptop computer with inside storage
What’s to love?
You’re most likely uninterested in seeing 5.11 gear in every single place, however their AMP24 is a worthy contender for individuals who need a trendy attachment that’s a bit extra subdued. The AMP24 gives the choice for stacking on further MOLLE pouches and compartments with out trying like an apparent “tacticool” bag dotted with rows and rows of webbing. With simply over 30 liters of capability, the AMP24 gives sufficient storage for 3 days’ price of journey, whereas the “HEXGRID” works with all existent attachment straps you’ll discover available on the market. Don’t need any webbing in any respect? The HEXGRID is detachable, making the AMP24 a “slick” bag that really blends in.
What’s to not like?
The AMP24 has no cummerbund, so that you’ll be carrying all of the bag’s weight atop your shoulders. Whereas I personally like the one, giant compartment, others would possibly need a bag with a bit extra inside compartmentalization.
Thriller Ranch 2-Day Assault (Greatest Facet-Loading Bag)
Specs
- Capability: 27 liters / 1,650 cubic inches
- Materials: 500D Cordura
- Attachments: MOLLE/PALS
- Out there Colours: Black, Tan, Inexperienced, Grey, Blue, Woodland Camo
- Dimensions (Most important Compartment): 21″ H x 12″ W x 11.25″ D
- Worth: $220
Most important Options
- Tri-fold clamshell compartment
- Built-in light-weight body
- Adjustable yoke for consolation
- Built-in, padded cummerbund
- Two inside mesh pockets
- Exterior compression straps
- Padded laptop computer sleeve (15”)
What’s to love?
There are nearly no tactical backpacks available on the market that test all of the bins like Thriller Ranch: Built-in body, detachable cummerbund, compression straps, tech compartments, hydration pouches, and over 1,500 cubic inches of capability whereas remaining comparatively skinny, with a tucked-in heart of gravity that doesn’t put pressure on the neck, shoulders, or lumbar. In reality, you’ll be onerous pressed to search out some other assault pack that gives all the pieces listed above at a worth that’s nonetheless aggressive with most go luggage. The two-Day costs in at round $220, making it cheaper than the RUSH 72 in Multicam.
What’s to not like?
The Thriller Ranch’s cummerbund is skinny and lacks padding. So, just like the Paratus, you’ll be left buying some wrap-around padding of your individual if you’d like extra consolation within the waist. The gear you set inside is your 72-hour pack is much more essential. Check out our top picks for camp stoves. Need some choices for ultralight climbing packs as an alternative? Here’s our round-up of the best ones.